DIY Countertops Under $60!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- Let’s build some countertops! In this video I break down how to build and install your own countertops out of 2x10 pine boards. Check out the tools and materials linked below…
TOOLS
Miter Saw: bit.ly/3QQ1hZJ
Belt Sander: bit.ly/3EPSlye
Rigid Planer: bit.ly/48nPeLf
Table Saw: bit.ly/3qucE0t
Jig Saw: bit.ly/3MGSC8C
Dewalt Sander: bit.ly/3ljgcuS
48" Clamps: www.rockler.co...
Panel Clamps: www.rockler.co...
Kreg Jig: bit.ly/46fgKcG
2" x 10" Pine Boards
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Counter top looks great , awesome job
Jack of all trades Stefani.
Thank you for the video.
Clever, inexpensive solution. Looks great.
With the glue between boards it was not necessary to use pocket screws. However what you could have done was use your 2 caul clamps to align the boards, add the pocket screws either side of the clamp then move the clamp down to the next pocket screw location. This would align the boards better and the pocket screws would hold them that way.
I built a desk for my office using laminated 2x material. I started with 2x6, cut off the edges then ripped each one in half. I glued them up with half the boards flipped upside down to reduce any problems if my saw was not set perfectly 90 degrees. I tried staining with gel stain but it did not come out even enough so I sanded it all off and use clear poly.
If you have water, you definitely need both.
Stefani you make it look so easy, I complain at the start every time watching saying to myself that is impossible for the normal Joe soap of a DIY'er but when I watch the whole way through I am pleasantly surprised how easy you make it look. I do love how you explain what us non carpenters can use when we don't have the big tools. The workshop looks amazing by the way. Plus just to add maybe it is an American thing, but ye dress your outdoor shops/garages like we do indoor houses in Europe. Here in Ireland we have 4 walls, a roof, lighting & electricity for our garages & that is it, we have untreated concrete floors, no insulation etc nothing like ye do.
WOW, what a MAJOR undertaking - very impressive outcome!!
I was skeptical but the white washing was a great touch. Looks good!
Hi Stefani,
I love your workmanship and the passion you put into your work.
Actually I have a $60 pocket hole jig, and a $50 electric planer. And all you need are clamps. A few bricks then those tie downs and you are good.
Looks great and it gives me ideas for future products. My only concern is will the pine start to get spotty/splotchy and turn more yellow with time,,,,or will whitewashing seal it enough? I know you need to use a pre-stain treatment before staining prime to prevent splotching? But whitewashing is a diluted paint. I know if you just paint pine, the resin in the knots will eventually bleed through. Perhaps a painting expert can answer this question.
Love to see you building stuff like this. There are so many opportunities to build much cheaper, but nice looking things with a few simple tools and some know how. I'm a bit older than you all and I bit of advice I'd pass down is to buy the best tools you can afford. Milwaukee and Dewalt are generally good bets. They will produce better work and be more pleasurable to work with. This is especially true for larger stationary tools.
Great, economical and as always a well thought out project made to look easy by you. Thanks and keep them coming.
It's looking great ❤, can't wait to see when it's almost done. You guys are really making the place look amazing. Can't wait to see more Stefani!🎉
Devin’s skills as a human paperweight are amazing! 😆
😂😂
6:13
I’ve never used them, but would “biscuits” have lined up the boards more consistently?
This turned out great. I think I'll do the same. The only difference is that I'll probably use biscuits to align the tops during glue-up to avoid having to sand top too much after the glue-up.
This is my favourite method of building counter tops. For future reference, the pocket screws were not necessary. Glue and clamps are all I use and it turns out great! I also use 2x4s instead of wider boards to reduce warping over time. Biscuits, dowels or splines can also be used to assist alignment during the glue up to make things easier. 🙂
Totally agree and if using the pocket screws and glue then clamps not really needed because the screws are doing the job for you was watching that and thinking people who dont have all that many decent clamps can get by with one or the other. Other than that its a good project and execution cannot say I would do better as I dont have a planer so would be doing plenty of sanding afterwards.
Came here to say the same thing :D Would have been easier and less warped to use higher grade 2x4s
I've seen too many split boards to give you the reason on this one, if peace of mind, longevity or versatility is your priority, either screws or pegs or dovetails will work charms
I like the idea. I am also considering a wood counter.
Butcher block is customary. If nothing else, harder woods and an already even top are advantages.
Hardwood plywood layers is also attractive. The top would be even, but I am concerned about the life of the top layer. Also, attaching a backsplash and front edge can be a problem.
Using planks looks attractive. I can easily attach a “thicker” front edge and make the matching backsplash any height I want. While I’m at it, I can make the front edge “taller” than the counter so as to discourage drips. I can also inset the sink and slope the sink edges to drain into the sink.
I am happy to see your plane - tenon - sand approach went well. That reassures me.
Which glue did you choose?
The whitewash finish is interesting. I will use tung oil instead of polyurethane - even though it’s more complicated to apply - because it is food-safe and won’t flake.
Beautiful work!
Your joints turned out beautiful!
+1.. Nice touch the shed ceiling! .. Its the details,,,, Cheers, M/S
Beautiful, but a lot of hard work. Planing, ripping, joining, flattening some more, sanding and not to mention lifting the big piece for finishing and installation. Did you consider a torsion box construction? I use it for workbenches, counters and shelves whenever I can. They are strong, flat and light. The only tools you need is a hand saw and maybe a block plane to smooth edges left by the saw. Maybe a finishing sander for smoothing the whole thing when it's done. They don't even require clamps, but I just use weights (like cinder blocks or plates from the weight bench) for glue up. I don't mean to troll the work you did because it looks great, but I just want to throw the torsion box option out there for a DIYer who might not have access to a big planer, Kreg jig, table saw, clamps, a partner or other tools. Nice job! Nice editing for the video!
You just taught me something. I had never heard of a torsion box. I am now on my way down that rabbit hole. Thank you!
wow great timing I'll be making a coutnertop from scrap wood we found in our basement for a DIY dog kennel this week! Don't have a planer so there will be a ton of sanding, but I'm excited!
Your attention to detail is amazing. The countertop is beautiful. I’d love to have a wood counter so I could pull things out of the oven and not have to ensure I protected the countertop. The work you have done thus far is incredible. Send Devon out to my house for a kitchen redo.
Hot pans from the oven will burn a wood counter
@@sottx8268 that gives character, but burnt and melted Formica just looks like crap.
Depending on your finish, that might be a mess. I'm going to use butcher block in my upcoming build, and I intend to finish it with polyurethane to protect from water damage. I would be afraid to set something too hot on a polyurethane finish.
I'm probably gonna cut up my drop into cutting board & trivet sizes and stain them one color darker than the countertops. Then they'll be decorative and can just live out on the counter. That makes protecting the counter finish just as convenient as not protecting the counter finish.
The reason you and your channel are so addictive...beautiful products and you make it look so easy. Seriously, Stefani, the way you produce the beautiful renovations or projects is mind-boggling. Loved the choice of the butcher block counter. Although, I had to snicker at Devin standing on the counter while you attached it. 😊 Thanks for sharing, and I am totally looking forward to all the new projects you are going to produce in that shop. ❤❤
Turned out really nice!
Fab tute! I have plans to build a wall unit similar to this in a few months and needed a countertop. I LOVE this inexpensive solution!
You did an amazing job, and your countertop which looks exceptionally beautiful!
Excellent Craftsmanship, too!
Well done!
How did you make your rip cut straight on the 2x10s? I can't get a straight cut...any advice?
When you put it through the planer it has to be leveled with another board underneath it and some shims. Looks great. I was surprised with little drying these boards did not bend more.
Super, that came out looking great!
I love the projects. I would invest in clamps. You can't have too many clamps. I use the Jorgensen clamps. Big med and small for all different projects. The only 2 things I don't like and you have no way of controlling these unless you go with a different wood is the knots and the seemless look. It looks great, though. Great job on all of it.
Shop worktops need to be durable and inexpensive whenever possible; you checked off both boxes to create a great surface that is lovely in appearance. Great job! Blessings!
Excellent work love it
Outstanding job looks stunning 😊
if I could add one suggestion. On the bottom side of the counter top, I recommend adding cross pieces to at each end and about every other 4' apart (two screws in each board across). This will help avoid "cupping" and "twisting".
Good idea.
Have they cupped at all? If not 100% kiln dried I could see cupping being a huge problem.
You soo inspire me! Just gorgeous!!!
I love it. Great affordable option
Awesome Job!!! (you make it look so easy😅👍🏻)
+1.. Super project.. As they say; "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".. We'll follow suit! Thanks.. Vail, CO..
(subscribed)
I love all your work!
Excellent build! Those cabinet door/hinge swings can definitely make you go to plan B sometimes.
That is a great idea!! And you did an outstanding job!! ❤
I saw your Tuff Shed commercial. Very nice.
What’s the use case between an orbital sander and a belt sander? When do you use which?
I like to start with the belt sander because it cuts through the wood faster! And finish with the orbital sander to get more of the smooth finish 🙌
You could pour epoxy on top. Super hard finish instead of the soft pine.
I'm curious to know how this has held up. Can you provide an update video? I'd predict that wood movement would be this approach's Achilles heel. The classic approach would be to dry the lumber to its indoor moisture content before construction and seal it identically on top and bottom so that it absorbs and loses moisture evenly across the piece. This minimizes the wood movement that could otherwise tear it apart.
Looks great! Apologies ahead of time if this is a dumb question. When joining the two boards in the length direction, I believe you used 1 @ 8 feet & 1 @ 4 feet, did you encounter challenges with the board warping or not aligning after screwing them together? Is that a common challenge given the long length of this particular countertop? Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Rohit
Awesome video. What kind of paint did you use for the white wash?
Love it! How's it holding up, now, a year later? Any problems w/ areas that get wet/damp regularly?
For anyone trying this is would suggest clamping angle iron to the top and bottom of the top during glue up to better alignment the boards. Obviously you need to put a barrier between the wood and metal so angle glue doesn't bond the whole thing together and cause damage when you remove them. Yes i know you need more than 2 sets for a top this long.
Second the edges that are glued together should have been planed together to remove any gaps that would eliminate the need for wood filler. The boards are fitted together properly you don't need a lot of clamp pressure thus you reduce distorting the boards.
Third I think doing multiple glue up in this case was a mistake also you are just introducing more steps to compound cumulative errors. A better option in my opinion is to use a longer drying glue and glue it up all up in one action.
Forth either dowels, Dominos, or floating tenons should have been on the edges to add strength and help keep all the boards aligned during glue up.
Fifth I would have used a 50/50 mixture of a thinner/finish to let it soak into the wood applying as many coats as the wood will soak up. Pine is very soft and this will strengthen it. Plus I would add any coloring to this mixture so it soaks in deeper than just a surface finish. Then if you do get a scratch later on it should be less notiable.
Looks great!! What are the dimensions of your cabinets & countertops?
Thanks for the tips and some of the issues you ran into!
It looks so good!!!
Your so talented!!!
Do you get any noise complaints when using your planer in your yard?? 😊
Thankfully, no! My neighbors are great and I always use it during the day.
Lumber companies will make cuts for you, so you could have bought the 16s or 14s an had them cut to 13 for hauling. I don't have all those tools, so I always get my cuts done at the lumber co. Looks nice.
Beautifuuuul, Congrats, enjoy...
Blessings.
I loved it ❤ thank you
Great job 👏🏼👍🏼
Lovely job
How has the countertop held up over the year
No stain. How about its resistance to water?
What are the dimensions of the building?
I would be afraid to build anything in there its so nice!
2:02 Once you get the feel of it and you get the ideas of building things it just gets in your system and you love it😊
The worst thing you can do is make a mistake just always watch your hands around blades don't wear loose clothing around planers or things like that table saws etc.
Go for it you got to build something build you a little table or a table for shoes when you come in the door that's so cool
If you're afraid of electrical equipment use a hand saw 🪚
It's a good workout 😁
😊 I think you'll have fun building a one of a kind just for you
I wish I lived where you do! It must be nice to be get all that wood and that list of tools you used, plus the tape, and two cans of coating for under $60.00
It almost sounds impossible. I wonder why?
I wish I had your skills. Love your channel
great video, thanks for sharing!
She is an excellent host, enjoyable to watch. She is very attractive, and seems very tall. Please keep the videos coming.
Pawn shops and market place you can buy most everything she has here for like 3-500 bucks.
I got my table saw for 100 bucks a few years back, and it’s not one of the new junky aluminum ones.
It looks great. And a lot of cost savings...
Great job!!
Glue & Screws add to the COST, but great solution.
Nice work. Using biscuit joints would have negated the use of screws.
Nice job! You go girl,
With the poly - since you did it in long strips, did you find that the overlap area was tacky? How did you work around that? Or is that just an AZ problem I have due to low humidity? 😅
I didn't have that issue with this water based poly! It's very easy to work with. I know the oil based can get tacky like that though.
@@HomeWithStefani I’ll have to try it on my next project. I normally use water-based polycrylic and it dries too quickly out here.
@@naturallymarisa I wonder if you could boil some water or run a humidifier in your work area to bring the humidity up temporarily? I live in Tennessee and have the opposite problem, so I have no idea if that would work; just a thought.
@@Romans828girl It's a good thought, but I don't have an indoor workshop. However, I've used that method at my old house and it does work!
Great look.
Good job! And good idea keeping your hair tied up when using power tools.
What is the paint colour of the exterior wall please?
Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore
So it should SAY "how to make a $60 Countertop with a $300 planner?????? nice job. You projects are very well explained.
BEAUTIFUL
wow !! Great job
Yeap. That looks great.
I initially cringed at the idea of soft pine as a countertop in a shop. But at $56, you can replace it every 5 years, which you can't do with a more durable countertop. And lets face it: any shop countertop (if used) will experience wear and tear.
Don’t think I didn’t notice the outlet cover screws head slots nicely aligned! It’s the details that matter.
It’s the fanciest workshop I’ve ever seen.
My house would fit inside.
that is a darn guest house. lol
The warping is because you're buying wet wood from Lowe's or Home Depot. that's about the lowest quality wood you can get. To alleviate some of the warping use a circular saw and run relief cuts under it as needed it won't be noticeable but it'll allow the wood to flex back down flat without too much resistance.
Yes. And two other reasons as well. All of the pocket screws are pulling down. Could use threaded rods and drill through all three boards. This would prevent you from needing clamps too. Also channels could be routed out on the bottom of the counter top and metal brackets could be screwed into those pockets to keep all three boards twist and warp resistant.
Also, when you screwed the boards together you made the bottom of the boards even, but if you would have made the top even you would not have had to sand as much.
In the Netherlands it would cost 4 times as much. Polyurethane: E22. White wash: E24. Sandpaper at least E10. Screws: E10. Tape: 2E. Handsome paperweight guy: free.
Douglas wood: E10 per meter * 20cm, so at least E150.
You didn't leave room for wood expansion with all those screws to secure the counter top.
Exactly! It's going to more than likely crack or split as time goes by. Hope not - nice way to make a cheap counter, but bore out some slits in those corner blocks so it can move front to back... do it now before its too late :)
@@brianwohn ..."Inexpensive counter" .. Never cheap. .. Cheers, M/S
ita really great.
Did you work with Andrew Kai? He used your video
Nice job, Steph… When I saw you planing, I noticed the Ridgid was drifting a bit. Got me worried a little.
BTW, this is the first I’ve seen pocket screws joining the planks together. Whatever works right? So there’s hope for people without biscuit joiner! Thanks for the hack! Of course, it helps to have a dutiful partner to step on and secure the boards while you screw.
Amazing
once you have already paid for the machinery is ok...otherwise...it really amaze me how many tools you all have, great job though!
Do you think this type of counter would work in a kitchen?
It would if you put like 5 coats of polyurethane
The gaps and bowing is an artifact of using pocket screws before clamp
Up. Simply put, they were not necessary and actually caused the problems. Would have been better and more time efficient to prepare and execute a perfect glue up without the screws.
why it looks so light?
A rubber doormat would keep the planer from sliding.
Good tip, thanks!
lol what a way to make your hubs useful standing on wood. lol
It looks amazing. Actually, anyone doing a kitchen on a budget, could use this instead of butcher block, same look for a lot less.
Question - I thought wood counters tops needed to be sealed on both sides?